1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to eye droppers and, more particularly, to eye droppers incorporating a mirror to enhance accurate dispensation of eye drops.
2. Description of Related Prior Art
Eye droppers are widely used for purposes of dispensing a lubricating fluid onto the eyeball or for dispensing a liquid medication onto the eyeball. Presently available eye droppers come in many different shapes. Typically, they are cylindrical, oval in cross-section or generally tapered oval in cross-section. Each eye dropper includes a nozzle for dispensing fluid.
Dispensation is generally accomplished by squeezing the eye dropper to expel each drop through the nozzle.
One of the primary problems with presently available eye droppers relates to the general inaccuracy in dispensing a drop or drops onto the eyeball. Usually, a user separates the eyelids with the fingers of one hand and locates the eye dropper above the eyeball with the nozzle pointed toward the eyeball. Depending in part upon the visual acuity at close range of the user, the nozzle may or may not be correctly positioned. When out of position, the drops will fall upon the upper or lower eyelids and serve no useful purpose. To attempt to use a bathroom mirror or the like to assist in accurately positioning the eye dropper is a very difficult task to accomplish because it requires the visualization of the spatial relationships between the reversed image seen in the mirror.
Eye drops sold in relatively small cylindrical containers add a further level of difficulty. These small containers, generally about an inch (2.5 mm) in length and approximately three-fourths of an inch (1.8 mm) in diameter, are not readily flexible. Hence, a degree of force is required to effect dispensation of the eye drops and accurate dispensation of a single drop at a time is difficult to accomplish for many persons, particularly those with limited dexterity in their thumb and forefinger. Moreover, eye drops having medicinal value and generally available only by prescription are sold in such small containers because of the associated costs. When multiple drops are dispensed in error due to the manual dexterity issues, costly waste results.
Various attempts to overcome these problems have been undertaken by using mirrors attached to or attachable to an eye dropper. German Patent No. 2,020,706 discloses a foldable mirror that can be clipped onto a cylindrical body of an eye dropper. By pivoting the mirror to an appropriate angle, the user can see his/her eye to assist in accurately dispensing an eye drop. European patent application No. 0,197,344 discloses a mirror having a receptacle for receiving the bottom of a cylindrical eye dropper to assist in visualizing the eye as eye drops are dispensed. U.S. Pat. No. 2,382,771 illustrates and describes a pivotal mirror attachable to the body of a medicine dropper. U.S. Pat. No. 2,410,257 illustrates and describes a pivotable circular mirror attached to the cylindrical body of an eye dropper having a plunger for dispensing the fluid. U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,245 illustrates and describes a holder for an eye dropper, which holder includes a convex mirror located at the base thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,575 illustrates and discloses an angularly fixed mirror located at the base of an eye dropper, which mirror is repositionable from being centered upon the axis of the eye dropper to being laterally displaced therefrom for use. U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,430 illustrates and discloses a mirror, arm and an attached clamping arm for supporting an eye dropper to provide a reflection from both eyes of the eye to receive the eye drops.